Photographic-printing machine.



No. 846,767. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. H. M. WEBSTER. PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20. 1906.

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No 846,767. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. H. M. WEBSTER. -PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20.1906.

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W w/fla No. 846,767. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. H. M. WEBSTER. PHOTOGRAPHIO PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.20.1906.

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flanwww .1721 KHZ/011 No. 846,767. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. H. M. WEBSTER.

PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAILZO. 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 846,767. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. H. M. WEBSTER.

PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20. 1906.

5 SHBETSSHEBT 5.

against lateral movement spacing-strips b of any suitable character,

seetlonal views of the timing device.

.HowARn M. WEBSTER, or" CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

" PHOTOGRAPHS-PRINTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed January 20, 1906. Serial No. 298,926.

To all whom (it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOWARD M. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Photographic-Printing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a photographic-printing machine of simple construction and capable of being rapidly and easily operated.

Further objects of the invention are to roll and clam the printing-paper evenly and securely in p ace on the negative in printing position, to automatically time the exposure and return the parts to their initial position, and to accomplish various other results, which will be fully pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in their position during the exposure. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing particularly the manner of guiding thepressure-roller. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail Fi 8 is a detail sectional view showing the pn eumatic suction-cup for removing the paper after being printed. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the suction-cup. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the lock. Fig. 11 is a detail view of one of the lifter-dog Referring to the drawings, A is a frame, of suitable size, shape, and construction, having a bed a, provided with an opening a, over which is seated a glass plate a- The negative B is arranged upon this late and held y removable Fig. 2. The printing-paper is laid on the negative and then the pressure-roller is rolled forward over the pa er and negative and car-- ries the flexible cus iion into osition to be clamped tightly upon the be and hold the paper in place on the negative during the exposure. This roller comprises a shaft C, sup ported at itsends on brackets c, which are arranged to travel on 'de-rods c, fastened on the frame. These bi ackets are provided with rollers c to engage the rod and reduce the friction, Fig. 5. Disks D are carried by the shaft C and are provided on a portion of their periphery with teeth d, suitably spaced to engage bars E, fastened transversely on the back of the flexible cushion F. This cushion coin rises .a bottom layer f of thick felt and a top ayer f of composition rubber, and it is fastened at one end to the bed at f and at its other end to the disks D at d. The bars E are arranged in parallel relation. and form a rack which is engaged by the teeth on the disks. i

Pressure is applied to the flexible cushion when extended by pressure-bars G, which are pivotally connected at g to the periphery of the disks D and slide freelyin swivels 9, supported on the bed. As the roller reaches the limit of its forward movement the pressure-bars will be carried down to bear hard upon the rack-bars, and thus clamp the cushion tightly upon the paper and negative.

The pressure-bars are enlarged at the end H,

which ispivoted to the disks, and this en'- larged end is provided with a segmental slot h to receive the shaft 0. A spring-cushion h is provided on the frame to be engaged by the enlarged end of the bars to relieve the machine from shock on the return movement of the pressureroller to initial position. This return movement of the pressure-roller is produced by a weight I, carried by a cord i,

which passes over a pulley i and is attached at i to a cam J, fastened on the shaft C. A rod K is pivoted at k to the outer end of the cam J and travelsthrough an opening 7c in the standard L. A locking-plate Zis arranged between the standard L and the faceplate l, fastened to the frame. This lockingplate travels on ball or roller bearings Z and is pivotally connected at its lower end to one end of a horizontal lever M, pivoted to the frame at m and pivotally connected at its outer end by a link m to a lever N, which is pivoted at n and has an inturned end n, Fig. 2. When the weight of the shutter is lifted from the inturned end of the lever N, as hereafter described, a spring n" will swing the lever N, and thereby move the locking-plate from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig.3, this movement takin place immediately after the locking-rod has been pulled forward through the opening is. In this position the end of the lockingrod rests upon the face-plate l and against the lockinglate I and holds the roller in its forward position.

To provide foran even distribution of pressure by the pressure-bars on the rack-bars, l mount on each rack-bar a shoe 0, which has a springarrm 0, projecting therefrom beneath the raelabars. The pressure-bars will bear directly upon these springs, which in turn bear upon the rack-bars, and thus the pressure of the. pressure bars will be evenly distributed overthe entire surface of the cushion. For the purpose of picking vup the paper on the return movement of the roller 1 provide the roller with one or more pneumatic suction-cups, Fig. 8, comprising a rubber ring 1 carried by a cup 0 and normally projected beyond the fsfce of the flexible cushion by a spring 1 inclosed within a diaphragm p. The diaphragm is fastened at its ends to plates Q Q, having openings q, and the rack-bar behind the suction-cup has an openin 9, closed at its outer end by a valve q. VV hen the roller travels over the bed, the cup will be forced upward into the cushion and the air will escape through the valve q. On the return movement ofthe roller the cup will pick up and carry the paper, so that it can be easily removed by the operator. The shutters R R travel in guideways r at one end of the frame, and they are provided with openings 1" 1:, which are normally arranged out of register, Fig. 2. The shutters are simultaneously raised to elevated position by lifting-dogs S, pivotally mounted at s on skeleton frames 8, which travel in guideways 8, adjacent to the shutter-guideways. Springs T hold the dogs in position to engage projections t on the shutters, and the dogs have extensions t to engage the trippers t t. Cords U, traveling on pulleys u, are connected at one end to the lifter-dogs and at the other end to a cam a on the'main shaft 0. A cord V, traveling on pulleys o, is attached at one end to a cam v and at its other end carries a weight W. A lifting-dog w is pivotally mounted on the weight W and has an extension wf beyond its pivot to engage a fixed tripper w. on the frame.

A cord X, traveling on pulleys 90, carries at one end a weight 90 and at its other end is fastened to a weight Y, which is adjustably mounted on a, rod y. The weights Wand Y are arranged one behind the other and are guided in the uprights. Z, Fig. 4. -The up: per end of the rod y is provided with. a hook g, which engages a lever-arm 5, fastened on the shaft 6, which is mounted on the main frame and carries the tripper t. A spring 7 is fastened to the main frame and the leverarm 5 to pull the lever and the tripper into the position shown in Fig. 3 when the rod 3/ begins its upward movement. The cord X is wound two or three times arounda drum 8, Figs. 6, 7, which is provided with an arm 9, carrying a spring-pawl 10, arran ed to engage a ratchet-wheel 11. This rate et-wheel large gear 16, meshing with a pinion 17.

is fastened to a gear-wheel 12, and both are mounted loosely on the axle 13 of the drum. The gear-wheel 12 meshes with a pinion 14, mounted on a spindle 15, which carries a A fan 18 of any suitable character is mounted on a post 19, secured to the pinion 17.

In practice a negative is properly arranged on the bed-plate-al, and a sheet of printingpaper is placedon the negative. Then the roller is moved forward over the negative and printing-paper by pulling on the handle 20, until it reaches the limit of its forward movement and is there locked by the plate I. By spreading the flexible cushion over the negative and printing-paper with a rolling action the paper is not likely to be disturbed or wrinkled, and the pressure is applied throughout the cushion to securely hold the paper in place and form a light-tight back therefor during the exposure. When the roller is carried forward, the return-weight I is lifted, and both shutters are carried upward by the lifting-dogs until finally one' of said dogs is tripped by engagement with the tripper t and is thereby released from its shutter R, which falls to its lowest position, while the other shutter R remains in its elevated position. Then the opening 7" is in register with the opening 0, and the light from the lamp 21 will be reflected through these openings by a reflector 22 against the reflector 23, and thence upward through the glass (1 to the negative and printing-paper. The other shutter is held by its lifting-dog in elevated position because the tripper t has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 by the spring 7 and the disengagement of the rod 1 from the lever 5. The cord V has lifted the weight W; and the lifting-dog w has carried upward the weight Y and. the rod 7 As the weights w and 7 are raised the weight w falls and pulls the cord X around the drum, the pawl 10 riding freely over the ratchet 11. As the pressure-roller reaches its forward position the tripper w trips the dog w to release the weight' Y, the pawl engages the ratchet 11, and the resistance of the fan acts as a brake on the drum and retards the descent of weight Y and rod y.

The movement of the parts is timed so that at the instant the roller is locked the shutter R falls to bring its opening in register with the opening in the shutter R, thus beginning the exposure, and the lifting-dog w isreleased from engagement with the weight Y, which thereupon begins to descend, carrying with it the rod 1 to time the exposure. When the hooked end y of the rod y engages the lever 5, it will swing the tripper zf downward to release the dog S from engagement with the shutter R, and thereupon the shutter will fall to carry its opening out of register with the opening in the shutter R and end the exposure. When the shutter R reaches the limit of its. downward movement, it

strikes the inturned end 11. of the lever N and o erates its lever to pull the lockingplate downward and release the lockingrod K, and the weight I can then return the ressure-roller to its initial position. At the same time the wei ht W and the dogs S and 'II will return to tieir initial positions, and the operation is complete.

The machine can be easily operated and aside from the necessity for pulling the pressure-roller to its forward position is. automatic in its action. The exposure cannot take place until the flexible cushion is clamped securely upon the bed, and the time of the exposure can be regulated as desired. The flexible cushion is spread evenly over the bed during the forward movement of the roller, and this operation is effected in ahorizontal plane, which makes it very easy for the operator. operator, I provide the cams J, u, and '0 on the shaft G and connect the cords to these cams to the nearest point to the shaft. The leverage of cam J increases gradually on the forward movement and decreases gradually on the return movement of the roller, and consequently it is easy to start the roller on its forward movement. ()n the return move, ment the roller will start quickly and gradually slow down as it reaches initial position. The leverage of the other cams corresponds to that of cam J.

The length of the exposure is governed by the distance traveled by the weight Y on its downward movement, and the speed of this movement of the wei ht is controlled by the fan 18. The length o the upward movement of the weight Y can be regulated by thecam v and the tripper w.

The machine can be operated rapidly and with comparatively little power. After the operator has pulled the roller forward to 'locked position he may release the handle 20 and pay no further attention to the machine until he finds it automatically returned to its initial position and ready to receive another sheet of printing-paper. This gives the operator ample opportunity to feed the paper to the machine and take care of the sheets as they are removed from the machine without interrupting its continuous rapid operation.

By reason of the fact that the flexible cushion is spread over the bed with a rolling action the operator may hold the pa er in place on the negative until it is caught y the cushion and without danger of injury to his fingers.

What I claim, and desire to secure by-Letters Patent, is i 1. In a photographicprinting machine, the combination of a horizontal bed, a roller, a thick flexible contact-cushion fastened at one end to the bed and at its other end to the roller, and a handle attached to the front of the roller for moving said roller forward to spread the cushion over thebed.

To further lighten the work of the the combination of a bed, a roller comprising toothed disks, a flexible cushion fastened at one end to the bed and at its otherend to said roller, rack-bars on said cushion to mesh with the teeth on the disks, and means for moving said roller to" spread the cushion over the bed.

4. In a photographic-printing machine,

the combination of a bed, a flexible contactcushion, a roller for spreading said cushion over the bed, and means for applying a yielding ressure to the back of the cushion after it has een spread over the bed.

5. In a photogra hic-printin -machine, the combination of a ed, a thick exible contact-cushion, means for spreading said cushion over the bed, and pressure-bars arranged to apply pressure on the cushion after it has been spread over the bed.

6. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a' flexible contactcushion, a roller for spreading said cushion over the bed, and means actuated by said roller for applying pressure to the cushion after it has been spread over the bed.

7. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible contact-. cushion, a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, and pressure-bars connected to said roller and arranged to be operated thereby to ress upon the cushion after it has been spread over the bed.

8. In a photographic-printing machine,

' the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion,

a roller, bars on the cushion, and pressurebars connected to the roller and actuated thereby to bear upon the cushion-bars after the cushion has been spread over the bed.

9. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller, rack-bars on the cushion, teeth on the roller to mesh with said rack-bars, and

pressure-bars carried by said roller and arranged to bear upon said rack-bars when the cushion is spread over the bed.

10. In a. photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller, rack-bars on the cushion, teeth on the roller to mesh with said rack-bars, springs on said rack-bars, and pressure-bars carried by the roller and arranged to bear upon said iprings when the cushion is spread over the ody.

11. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller, rack-bars on the cushion, teeth on the roller to mesh with said rack-bars, swivel s on the bed, and pressure-bars slidably arranged in said swivels and pivotally connected to the roller to bear upon the rack-bars when the cushionis spread over the bed.

12. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a roller, a flexible cushion fastened at one end to the bed and at its other end to the roller, rack-bars on the a cushion, teeth on the roller to mesh with the rack-bars on the cushion, shoes on the rackbars, springs: carried by said shoes, swivelson the bed, and pressure-bars slidably arranged in said swivels and ivotally connected to the roller and adapted to be actuated-by the roller to bear upon said springs when the cushion is spread over the bed.

13. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller for spreading said cushion over the bed, means for returning the roller to its initial position, and a yielding stop for the roller.

14. In a photogra hic-printing machine, the combination of a ed, a flexible cushion, a roller for spreading said cushionoven the bed, pressure-bars actuated by the roller to bear upon the cushion after it is spread over the bed, a Weight for returning the rollerto its initial osition, and yielding stops arranged to )e engaged by the pressure-bars.

15. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller for spreading said cushion over the bed, and means actuated. by the roller for locking said cushion on the bed.

16. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, a locking-rod carried by said roller, a locking-plate, and means for interposing the plate in the path of said rod when the roller reaches the limit of its forward movement.

17. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion, a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, a locking-rod carried by the roller, a lockingplate, a lever for operating said plate to engage the rod, and a shutter for operating said lever.

18. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible cushion,

,a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, a standard having an opening therein, a locking-rod pivotally connected to the roller and slidably arranged in said opening, a locking-plate, a face-plate, and means for automatically moving said locking-plate over said opening when the end of the locking-rod rests upon the face-plate to lock the roller in its forward position.

19. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a pair of shutters provided with openings normally arranged out of register with each other, means for simultaneously lifting said shutters, means for releasing one shutter so that it may fall by gravity to lowered position with its opening'in register with the opening in the other shutter. in elevated osition, and means-for'releasing. said other 5 utter at the end of the exposure.

20. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a pair of shutters provided with o enin s normally arranged out of re ister, biting-dogs, means for operating said ifting-dogs to carry the shutters simultaneously into elevatedpositiomand means for automatically releasing the. lifting-(log from one shutter to permit said shutter to fall to lowered position with its opening in register with the opening in the. other shutter in elevated position, and means for automatically operating. the other lifting-dog at the end of the exposure to permit itsshutter to fall to lowered position with its opening out of'register With-the opening in the other shutter.

21. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a pair of shutters, a pair of lifting-do s, a stationary tripper for operating one li ting-dog, a movable tripper for operating the otherliftingedog, and means for'lifting said dogs.

22. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a pair of shutters rovided with openings-normall out of register with each other, means for liftingnsaid shutters to elevated position and comprising lifting-dogs, a stationary tripper for o crating one lifting-dog, a movable tripper or opcrating the other lifting-do and timingmcans 'for operating said movab e tripper;

23. In a photo raphic-printing machine, the combination 0 a bed, a flexible contactcushion, a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, a shutter mechanism, and means actuated by the roller for operating said shutter mechanism to start the exposure.

24. In a photo raphic-printing machine, the combination 0' a bed, a flexible contactcushion, a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, a shutter mechanism, and means actuated by the roller for operating said shutter mechanism to end the exposure.

25. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a flexible contactcushion, a roller for spreading the cushion over the bed, a shutter mechanism, means actuated by the roller for operating said shutter mechanism to start the exposure, and means actuated by the roller for operating the shutter mechanism to end the exposure.

26. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a shutter mechanism, means for timing the exposure comprising a weighted device for operating said shutter mechanism to end the exposure, a drum, a cord fastened to said device and wound around said drum, and means for regulating movement of said device and time the eX-.

posure.

27. In a photographic-printing machine,

the combination of a shutter mechanism, a weighted device for operating the shutter mechanism to end the exposure, a drum, a cord wound around said drum and carrying a weight at one end and connected at its other end to said device, means for lifting said device, and means for regulating the movement of said drum to control the movement of said device and time the exposure. 28. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a shutter mechanism, a weighted device for operating the shutter mechanism to end the exposure, a drum,-a cord wound around said drum and carrying a weight at one end and attached to said device at its other end, a roller, a cord fastei'ied to said roller and carrying a weight, a liftingdog on said weight arranged to lift said device, a tripper to release said dog from said device, and means for controlling the movement of said device.

29. In a photographic-printing machine,

the combinatlon of a shutter mechanism, a movable tripper to operate said shutter mechanism and end the exposure, a lever for operating said tripper, a weighted rod to oplerate said lever, means for lifting said rod out of engagement'with said lever, and timing means for controlling the descent of said rod into engagement with said lever.-

30. In a photographic-printing machine,

the combination of a bed, guide-rods alongside the bed, carriages arranged to travel on said rods, a shaft mounted in said carriages, disks carried by said shaft, and a flexible cushion fastened at one end to the bed and at its other end to said disks.

' 31. In a photographic-printing machine, the combination of a bed, a pressure-roller arranged to travel over the bed, and a pneumatic suction-cup carried by said. roller to pick up the paper on the return movement of the roller.

HOWARD M. WEBSTER/ Witnesses:

WM. 0. BELT, M. A. KIDDIE. 

